George Horvath was sent to a concentration camp during World War II.  The young woman who became his wife moved from safe house to safe house hiding from the Nazis. Many years later, their daughter, cellist Janet Horvath, traveled to Amsterdam with the Minnesota Orchestra and visited a house preserved as an important memorial to the many Jews who died in similar camps.  Luckily, her parents survived.  This is her account of visiting the Anne Frank house.

 

 

By Janet Horvath

 

Amsterdam is a wonderful historic city of many beautiful sights, sounds and experiences to feast on.  Having a limited amount of time, we headed straight for one of the most visited and memorable stops in Amsterdam – the Anne Frank house.

 

Anne Frank was just one of the millions of victims of the Holocaust during World War II.  Otto Frank, Anne’s father, owned a prosperous business making a jelling agent to make jam.  In 1940, the German Nazis occupied the Netherlands and the repression of Jews began.  Initially, they were not allowed to gather in Christian premises, own bicycles, or own businesses.  Soon round-ups began.  Otto Frank, fearing the increasing threat, decided to go into hiding with his family – his wife and two daughters, Margot and Anne, and another family – Hermann and Auguste Van Pels and their son Peter.  What better hiding place than noise of the daily manufacturing would disguise their whereabouts.  Otto Frank transferred his business to three co-workers: Miep Gies, Bep Voskuijl and Jo Kleiman who continued weekday business activities in the front office, but more important, risked their lives for the eight in hiding.  Miep goes forth nearly every day to scrounge up vegetables and food and then bicycles back with her purchases in large shopping bags… “she looks like a pace mule…” (Anne Frank, July 11, 1943)

 

The Franks quarters were concealed behind a large moveable bookcase.  The windows were blacked out.  Anne occasionally could peek through the curtains to see countless friends and acquaintances being rounded up during the night.  Two years passed slowly until they were discovered and sent to concentration camps.

 

In 1960, the Anne Frank house was opened to the public.  One can tour the small spaces these families inhabited for two years as well as examine quite a lot of photos and educational materials.  Anne kept a diary while she was hiding not only describing her everyday experiences but also her innermost thoughts, fears, and dreams for her life.  She had hoped to be a famous journalist.

 

For me the most moving part of the exhibit was Anne’s room she shared with Margot.  It was so cramped and bare that she decorated the walls with postcards of film stars fixed with homemade paste.  These pictures remain on the wall – tangible evidence of the fantasies of any young girl with stars in her eyes.  One can only imagine the difficulties of such mundane activities as bathing and the daily fear of discovery.  On August 4, 1944 the Franks were betrayed.  The eight people hiding and their helpers were arrested and imprisoned.  All but Otto Frank perished in concentration camps.

 

The Anne Frank house has become a beacon of hope to me.  It is now a center where contemporary issues of prejudice, discrimination and human rights abuses can be brought to the public in a personal way.  Anne’s diaries have been translated into 60 languages, and have been adapted and performed as a play in countless cities.  Her diaries are truly a gift and a legacy.  Her dream of becoming a journalist has come true.